X-ray tube housing

ABSTRACT

695,490. X-ray apparatus. NEWTON VICTOR, Ltd. Dec. 6, 1951 [Feb. 13, 1951], No. 3507/51. Class 98 (i). A housing for an X-ray tube comprises a generating tubular casing formed with a bulged portion extending longitudinally along one side of the casing and housing the auxiliary equipment associated with the tube, domed caps secured one to each end of the casing and having substantially radially directed bushings for high voltage supply leads, which domed caps are rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the housing to adjust the position of the supply leads, together with means for fixing the domed caps in the desired positions; Preferably the easing has a second longitudinal bulged portion opposite the first and housing a blower for directing air round the container, the bulged portions projecting substantially at right-angles to the direction of the X-ray beam. As shown in Fig. 1, a container 1 for an X-ray tube has oppositely placed longitudinal bulged portions 2, 3, and an X-ray transmitting window 4. Domed caps 5, 51 have bushings 6, 6&lt;SP&gt;1&lt;/SP&gt; for supply cables 7, 71, and are rotatable on bearings 9, 9&lt;SP&gt;1&lt;/SP&gt; at the ends of container 1. The caps may be fixed in position by clamping means such as set screws 10. Portion 2 accommodates auxiliary apparatus 11, which, if caps 5, 51 were not rotatable, would usually be housed in the ends of container 1. Portion 3 houses a blower 15 which blows air round the casing, e.g. between an inner and an outer casing. When portion 3 and motor 15 are omitted, a cover-plate may be placed over portion 2 to promote convection of air. In the casing shown in Fig. 5, an X-ray tube 17 having a rotating anode 19 driven by a motor 26 is supported in an inner casing 14. The rotatable domed caps 5, 51 for cables 7, 71 are filled with oil, the joints being sealed at 25. A motor 16 in a longitudinal bulge houses a blower 15, blowing air through the chamber containing motor 26 and out through an opening 22, and a blower 151 blows air through the chamber for the X-ray tube and out through an opening 221.

Oct. 1, 1957 N. c. CCDRDINGLY 2,808,517

X-RAY "IIUBE nous'me Filed Jah. 24,1952

Inventor: "Norman C. Cordmgly,

His Attorney.

'X-RAY TUBE HQUSING Application January 24, 1952, Serial'No. 267,985

Claims priority, application Great Britain February 13, 1951 2 Claims. (Cl. 250-90) My invention relates to improvements in the housing for an X-ray tube and its associated auxiliary equipment, and in particular to an improved housing having rotatable end caps.

Acommon form of housing heretofore used for X-ray tubes comprises a cylindrical container in which the tube is arranged longitudinally. One end of thecontainer houses an air sack or expansion bellows, while the other end houses auxiliary equipment associated with the X-ray tube, such as a counter mechanism, a thermal overload switch, and, in the case of rotating anode tubes, electrical connections for the motor used to rotate the anode. A window, through which the X-ray beam is directed, is normally located midway along one side of the container, while high voltage supply leads pass through the opposite wall of the container, usually toward either end. The container is adjustably mounted, since in radiographic or therapeutic uses the operator must manipulate the container to the most convenient position for the photograph ortreatment. The careful adjustment necessary for this purpose may be appreciably obstructed by the supply leads, which may, for instance, easily get. twisted up or foul part of the ancillary equipment with which it is used, and in consequence may restrict the movement of the tube in certain planes.

The principal object of my invention is to avoid the above disadvantages. Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Briefly stated, my improved housing for an X-ray tube comprises a tubular container having a bulged portion which extends longitudinally along at least one side of the container and which houses the auxiliary equipment as sociated with the tube. Two domed caps are rotatably secured to respective ends of the tubular container, and have substantially radially directed bushings for high voltage supply leads. The domed caps are capable of rotation about the longitudinal axis of the container to adjust the positioning of the leads, and are provided with means for fixing them in any desired angular position.

The tubular container is preferably formed with a smooth exterior surface to assist handling, and in embodiments in which the container is bulged along only one side, the section across the center of the container is substantially egg-shaped, while in cases in which it is bulged along two opposite sides, the section is substantially elliptical.

My improved housing provides apparatus which is more readily manipulated by the operator, since the domed caps, and hence the position of the high voltage supply cables, can be easily adjusted relative to the tubular container to suit the particular requirements. It will be appreciated that with prior types of apparatus, it is not possible to lead the high voltage supply cable through the ends of the container, since these ends already house necessary auxiliary equipment. With my improved arrangement, this is made possible by housing the auxiliary equipment in the bulged portion along one side of the container. The auxiliary equipment referred to will nores atent mally comprise apparatus such as an expansionbellows,

thermal overload switch, exposure counter, and the like,

-ject substantially at right angles to the direction of the X-ray beam emanating from the equipment through a window in the housing.

My invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and its scope will be pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of one embodiment of my invention in which the bulged portions are formed on opposite sides of the tubular container, Fig. 2 is an end view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a schematic section View, to an enlarged scale, taken generally along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing another embodiment of the invention, having only one bulged portion, and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic section view of still another embodiment of my invention, in which provision is made for air cooling the stator winding of a motor used to drive a rotating anode of the X-ray tube.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, a tubular container 1 has bulged portions 2 and 3 which extend longitudinally along respective opposite sides of the tubular container. A window 4 is provided through which an X-ray beam is directed by an X-ray tube, not

shown, housed within the cylindrical container. Rotatably secured to respective ends of the tubular container are two domed caps 5 and 5', which have high voltage bushings 6 and 6 respectively to accommodate the high voltage supply cables 7 and 7. The domed caps 5 and 5' are formed with rings 8 and 8, which respectively engage bushings 9 and 9 in the tubular container 1, and in which they are rotatable, and also have a clamping device, such as set screws 10, with which the domed caps may be fixed in any desired angular position to suit the apparatus with which they are to work.

In the arrangement shown, the upper bulged portion 2 accommodates the auxiliary apparatus of the X-ray tube, shown by dotted lines and indicated generally by the reference numbers 11, 12 and 13. The lower bulged portion 3 houses a blower 15 which circulates air for cooling the equipment.

Referring now to Fig. 3, an inner tubular container 14 houses the X-ray tube, and is located within and substantially coaxial with the outer tubular container 1. The auxiliary apparatus associated with the X-ray tube, indicated generally at 13, is located within a bulge on the inner container 14. A blower 15 is mounted between the inner container 14 and the outer container 1, and is housed within the bulged portion 3 of the container 1. The blower serves to circulate air for cooling through an annular space between the inner container and the outer container. The air may circulate undirectionally around the inner container, or alternatively, the air flow may divide and pass up through either side of the annular space.

Fig. 4 shows an embodiment in which the tubular container 1' is formed with a single bulged portion 2, which houses the auxiliary equipment. Around the bulge 2 there is a cover plate 16, designed to promote the conduction of air through the space between the cover 16 and the bulged portion 2. In this modification, no blower is required.

Fig. shows still another embodiment having an outer tubular container 1" and an inner tubular container 14'. Container 1" is provided with a bulged portion 2" along its upper side which houses a blower comprising two fans 15' and 15", and a fan motor 15'". 'Theinner container 14 houses an X-ray tube 17 having a cathode 18 and a rotating anode 19, which areindicated by dotted lines. A rotating anode assembly 20 for the X-ray tube is housed by an interior member 21, as shown. Member 21 also forms an interior compartment 22 within the inner tubular container. .Within this interior compartment, there is mounted a stator 23 of an induction motor for driving the rotating anode of the X-ray tube.

The lower portion of the outer container 1", is provided with exhaust ports 24 and 24', as shown. The fan 15' blows air into compartment 22 to cool the stator of the driving motor which air then. passes out mainly through the port 24. The fan 15" blows air around the annular space-between the outer container 1" and the inner container 14', and this air is mainly exhausted through the port 24.

A compartment 25 enclosed by the domed cover 5 preferably is filled with insulating oil, as is also a compartment 25 within the domed cover 5'. The compartment 25' communicates with the space within the container 14, which houses the X-raytube 17. Thus the space between the inner container and the X-ray tube is also filled with insulating oil, and thereby the X-ray tube is cooled, since the oil is cooled by air circulated by fan 15". As an alternative, compartments 25 and 25' may be gas-filled.

Oil-tight seals are provided at 26 to prevent the escape of the insulating oil through the joints between the domed caps 5 and 5 and the tubular container 14, and through the joint between the tubular container 14' and the interior member 21.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A housing for an X-ray tube of the rotating anode type, comprising inner and outer substantially coaxial tubular containers, said inner container housing such X-ray tube, said outer container having a bulged portion extending longitudinally along its side, a blower having two fans housed within said bulged portion, two domed caps rotatably secured to respective ends of said inner container, said caps each having a substantially radially directed high voltage bushing, means within said inner tubular container forming an interior compartment, an

induction motor stator housed within said interior compartment for rotating the X-ray tube anode, and ports for directing air from one of said fans through said interior compartment to cool said stator, and for directing air from the other of said fans through the space between said inner and outer tubular containers for cooling the X-ray tube.

2. A housing for an X-ray tube having a rotatable anode and comprising a tubular container having a tube compartment and a motor compartment separated by a partition, said X-ray tube arranged in said tube compartment, electric motor means arranged in said motor compartment for rotating said anode, said tubular container having inlet and discharge ports communicating with said motor compartment, fluid pump means arranged outside said tubular container for forcing coolant fluid through said ports and said motor compartment to cool said motor, an outer container arranged around said tubular container in spaced relation therewith and having a longitudinal bulge on one side thereof and having a plurality of exhaust ports diametrically opposite said bulge, at least one of said outer container ports being in substantially radial alignment with said tubular container exhaust port, said fluid pump means comprising a blower and two fans driven thereby arranged in said outer con.- tainer bulge, one of said fans being arranged adjacent said tubular container inlet port for forcing air therethrough into said motor compartment, the other of said fans arranged adjacent said tube compartment portion of said tubular container for causing coolant to pass around said tubular container and out through said outer container exhaust ports, an end cap rotatably attached to each end of said tubular container and each of said caps provided with a substantially radial bushing for facilitating the entry of electric connections to said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 881,974 Germany July 6, 1953 

